MK Dons vs Derby County - Form, odds and stats

More than 6,500 Derby County fans will make themselves heard at Stadium MK on Saturday when they take on MK Dons.

The Rams head to Milton Keynes for the first time since 2015 sitting seventh in League One after dropping out of the Championship last term, but will travel en masse having sold out their increased allocation.

Paul Warne’s side were narrowly beaten on penalties on Wednesday night in the Carabao Cup after a 0-0 draw, and are five unbeaten heading to Stadium MK. But their form on the road of late has seen them stumble, without a win on the road in their last four.

A familiar face lines up in the Derby dugout too, in the form of Richie Barker. Barker spent two-and-a-half years at Stadium MK, initially as Karl Robinson’s assistant before taking over as carebaker manager following his departure, eventually leaving in December 2016.

After a poor start to the season, Dons have begun to find their feet in recent weeks. After beating Morecambe on Tuesday night to set up a Carabao Cup fourth round tie with Premier League side Leicester City, their unbeaten run now reads four games, keeping clean sheets in all of them.

There have only been two meetings between the sides, coming in Dons’ 2015/16 stint in the Championship. While Derby were 3-1 winners at Stadium MK, Jake Forster-Caskey’s free-kick secured the spoils in a fine win at Pride Park.

Referee James Linington will take charge of the game. He has taken charge of 15 games this season, 14 of them in the Championship, booking 61 and sending two off. MK Dons fans have to cast their minds back to August 2018 for the last time he took charge of a match they were involved in - the 3-0 League Cup defeat to Bournemouth. Robert Hyde and Mark Russell will run the lines with Fourth Official Alan Young.

Bookmakers have Dons at 14/5 to win the game, with Derby at evens, and 5/2 the draw.